Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Purrkins said
Do you genuinely feel surrendering Willow is for the best?I know this is not easy, but either will surrendering her. I understand you are thinking of her best interests. This is the same Vet that does not feel she is in pain? IMO I do not see how that will help Willow she will be in pain somewhere else.
Holly, you are so caring, THANK YOU for all of the extra information. It's so helpful to have a bigger picture like this. And I totally agree with what you said above. That idea didn't occur to me and I feel terrible for not thinking of that issue, my brain wasn't 100% that day! Duh. Thank you for pointing it out.
If you can get Willow into a feline pain management specialist I think you will start to get her back. Please let us know how things are going.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
This is a very difficult situation. What I'd want to know is:
- could there be a pinched nerve or nerve damage from the surgery?
- could the surgery have impacted on the "plumbing" (bladder, urinary tract, etc) so that she doesn't feel that she has to pee or that it just leaks out
- if the vet is so confident there is no pain could the vet clinic keep Willow for a short time as a clinic cat until the issues are resolved then she goes back home to you?
I agree with the others who have posted here that it may be best to get a second opinion.
Hugs,
Kerren
Whew, thank you Holly! I cannot believe those photos... OMG
Seeing it first hand is just gut wrenching. And as Jerry said, putting the whole picture together this way does make things clearer that another person should be involved in looking at Willow.
It is really hard sometimes to voice an opinion without feeling like you will be in some sort of violation. You brought everything forward with beautiful eloquence, thank you.
Pam, Nova and Willow... I hope this discussion has helped to bring clarity for you and hope. If you can find out what is going on with the urination, and can finally find where the pain is coming from, maybe you can finally have your beautiful girl back the way she was before. We are all here cheering you on, I hope you have a chance to check in and let us know how things are going.
Hugs,
Jackie and Huckleberry 
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
We know you have your hands full. Update when you can, okay?
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Thank you SO much Holly! That was incredibly thoughtful of you and your time is very much appreciated. I am on a mission today, to make a little montage of some of her behaviors and get it to you all. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on what they will see.
I wanted to answer your questions as well, and thank you for asking them...
She did not sustain any other injuries. She has been checked from head to paw and nothing of note can be found. What you see on her front paw is her IV site. She growls, hisses, etc. any time she moves. If she is in a comfortable spot in her bed, she is fine. She doesn't move freely at all. She is able to clean herself pretty calmly. As far as the litter box goes, she is using a small one for kittens. The size is plenty big, the walls are just short in an attempt to help her get in there. She is currently not on any medication. I thought it was possible she was having a reaction to one of the medications, which was causing her behaviors, but she is the same on and off of them. We've also run out of meds, so we kind of want to start from scratch with the meds and see what helps. She has been on NSAIDS twice, but since they are hard on cats, she was only given them about a week at a time. After the first and second surgery, she was on Buprenex for a short time. Her first vet said that "there is no way that this cat is in this much pain". I am truly at a loss here! And, she is still moving backward. I am trying to get a video of all of this today. We have plenty of examples, unfortunately.
You all are so very kind. We spoke to her vet again yesterday and he suggested surrendering her to him, where she could go to rehab and then find a good home. We are a good home! But, we were told if we surrendered her, we would not get her back. He also doesn't want to put her down. Of course, I don't either, but in fairness to her - this is not a life any cat would want to live. We don't want to let her go, only to be in pain somewhere else that isn't her home. I will update later today, with hopefully a link to a video. We live in Iowa...
Thank you all again, so much!
Pam and Nova
I honestly cannot believe anybody could tell you after what she went through that she could not possibly be in that much pain!! Grrr.... if that were them they would be bedridden begging for a morphine drip 🤬🤬
Uploading videos on to YouTube is really easy and seeing her might really help a lot.
Im glad you still have her, yes, once you relinquish rights to her you'll never have her again.
I find it very odd that taking your cat seems to be mentioned more than helping fix her. I really hope you can find someone else to see her.
Will look for your videos, if you need help just holler!
Hugs,
Jackie and Huck❤
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
I'm coming back, but I just wanted one of the techies to find the video that Renee just posted somewhere on hear of cats walking backwards I'm guessing this is what Willow looks like. Thanks for taking the time for the update and I will be back and ditto Jackie
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Here is the latest one
And the post here: https://tripawd.....backwards/
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Thanks Jackie! I saw you on here when Imposted that, so I knew U B da' techie who would find it!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Thanks for filling us in Pam. We look forward to the videos, let us know if you need any help posting on YouTube.
If it's any comfort, we've seen many members in similar situations dig dig dig with vets until they find out what's going on, pain-wise, with their Tripawd. Almost every time they get an answer but it usually takes getting into another clinic with a practitioner more experienced in pain management . If that is an option for you, I would seriously consider it for Nova. She's lucky to have you.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ok, this is a very small snippet! Figuring this out as I go. Do you all think this is pain, or frustration? More is coming, I just wanted to get this on here.
Also, when I ask her if she wants to go outside... we have a screened-in porch that she likes to sit on. She doesn't roam freely 🙂
Thanks again,
Wow, that is heartbreaking to watch/hear.
I'm not a vet, but damn I don't know how anyone can call that "frustration". She looks very uncomfortable, presumably from pain.
Maybe they left a stitch in or something? Or shrapnel?
Sorry you're having to deal with this, but hang in there! I've read similar stories here, many with a happy ending 🙂
Brad
The kitty members will have ro assess, but the low growl in this video may...may...be frustration, but most likely pain!! The stumbling does appear to be what some kitty members experience sometimes.
I hope somehow, someway, Willow can get to a Vet with experience in pain management !!! . And then onto a Rehab Specialist.
Even IF there is no pain involved, maybe you coild fet rhis Vet to give you a script for Gabapentin. For Pete's sake, tell him it's worth a try and it certainly won't hurt!!! If pain isn't managed properly in the beginning, ot's mich harder to catch up and being him back into a "normal recovery" cycle.
I KMOW rhis has to be so hard! I think you can tell though from all the responses, we DO believe he can turn the corner and get better. Je jist neede a second evaluation from z paun snd kotty specialist! Maybe the new Vet would donate a free consult.
As ment bedore I think, if you can find a Rehab Bet Tripawd Foundati9n will, pay fot rhe first visit. Do you need help finding one in Iowa??
YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB OF STAYING STRONG AND FOCUSED IN A SOLUTION!! We're all on Team Willow now!!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Woah. She is not happy, or mobile. I'm so sorry.
Your vet mentioned rehab therapy. Do they have a practitioner on-site?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Poor Willow... I don't see this as frustration, I think it's pain. Please consider taking Willow to another vet to get the pain managed then you'll know if the behaviour is due to pain. As Sally mentioned Gabapentin seems to be helpful for both dogs and cats.
My cats have never expressed frustration in that way - if "frustrated" they yell F*** You and just do what they want or can.
My cat Mona lost her front leg and was on Buprenorphine for less than a week Metacam for Cats Meloxicam for 2 weeks. Meloxicam, an NSAID, has been licensed for in many countries in the world (Canada, Europe for example) for long-term use, see this article https://journal.....010.05.004 Of course a vet who is experienced in pain management will be able to determine what is best for Willow.
The walking backward for the rear-leg amputee is not unusual. I wonder if it's somewhat similar to my front-leg amputee Mona who would spin in circles when she tried to get up quickly. I was told it was due to proprioception which is the sense of the position and movement of limbs. Mona did not yet have the sense that her leg was gone. She didn’t spin for long.
Take care,
Kerren, member of Team Willow
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